Vermilion school board approves 3-year contract

VERMILION — Teachers and support staff of Vermilion Schools have new work agreements.
The Vermilion School Board this week reached new contracts with the Vermilion Teachers Association and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 332, which represents district support staff.
“All parties agreed that multi-year contracts would be in the best interest of students and the school district,” according to a statement from the school board and Superintendent Phil Pempin. “These agreements provide stability in working relationships that are necessary as the staff and administration to work together to implement and achieve the district’s Ohio Improvement Process strategies and goals.”
The OAPSE and Vermilion teachers agreements both run for three years starting from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2016.
The board approved increases in base salaries for both contracts. It is the first such increase for the OAPSE staff since 2009.
The base salary for both groups will increase 2 percent the first year and 1 percent the second year, with no increase the third year of the contract.
OAPSE members also agreed to contribute an additional 4 percent toward health insurance premiums through the life of the contract, bringing the total contribution to 14 percent by 2015, according to the terms of the contract.
The teachers also will contribute an additional 2 percent toward the health insurance costs, which also brings their total contribution to 14 percent by 2015.
The School Board felt that cost reductions made it possible to approve the new salary schedules, which are more closely aligned with pay levels in the local area. The recent cost cutting included no raises on base salaries for the past six years, according to the board.
The School Board, teachers and support staff also agreed to form a committee to study ideas for an alternative compensation plan.
“All of the teams agreed that Vermilion has made great strides toward improving educational opportunities for students and will continue to work collaboratively to insure that the Ohio Improvement Process goals are met,” according to the School Board statement.